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Community and Custard: The Rita's Expansion

·34 min

Lawrence Brown (VP Development, Rita's Italian Ice) discusses how 42-year-old brand expanded from Northeast core to 600+ locations with 20% YoY growth. Key drivers: premium Italian ice product (liquid fruit frozen, not shaved ice) paired with custard; adaptive reuse real estate strategy (former banks, coffee shops at 500-1500 sq ft reducing franchisee costs/permitting time); and drive-thru locations driving 40% higher unit volumes. Expansion into Midwest, Sunbelt, Philippines, and Israel planned.

As heard by us

A franchise growth story centered on operator support and expansion beyond core markets.

Rita's growth gives the piece its emotional pull, but the stronger thread is the brand's push to scale without leaving franchisees behind. It circles the fundamentals that actually decide whether a franchise can travel: hiring well, supporting operators well, and building…

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Why you'd press play

Want a franchise expansion story grounded in operator reality?

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